ABOUT US

Our Story

MARION

Past Era Antique Jewelry is famous for its exceptional collection of exquisite pieces from the 17th through 20th centuries, many of which are discovered in Europe by the owner, Marion Glober. Marion looks for high-quality pieces of remarkable beauty, value and authenticity. Past Era enjoys the reputation of consistently having an inventory of prime pieces from each period. Unique pieces have included a rare early Maison Vever cameo and an important Carlo Giuliano enamel and pearl necklace. Backed by generations of knowledge and experience, Past Era is considered one of the country’s finest antique jewelry dealers.

Past Era is the product of Marion’s life-long love of antique jewelry. The daughter of London jewelers, she has had intimate experience with antique jewelry from a very young age and carries on her parents’ tradition of quality and expertise. Marion founded her successful shop in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1973 after years of training in England and the United States. After 20 years as Honolulu’s top antique jewelry dealer, Marion moved to Houston, Texas in 1993, where Past Era has continued to attract customers worldwide. As a long-standing member of the Houston Antique Dealer’s Association (HADA), Marion also has a strong presence in the antique community. She has appeared on the radio and television and lectures extensively on antique jewelry; museums and collectors worldwide seek her expertise.

Six other specialists round out the Past Era staff, including two graduate gemologists. Together the team combines impressive knowledge and expertise with amazing personal service in order to provide every client with a unique and pleasurable shopping experience. Marion and her staff all love to help every customer find what they need for that upcoming special occasion. We invite you to enjoy our beautiful collection of antique jewelry and together we will choose the perfect gift.

CRISTINA

Cristina is the head of Past Era’s appraisal department. She graduated from the University of Texas, Austin with a major in Geography and a minor in French. Inspired by a gemology course in the university, she turned her attention towards antique jewelry. Cristina spent several years working for an antique and estate jeweler and then went on to achieve her Graduate Gemologist degree in residence from the Gemological Institute of America in Carlsbad, California in 2001.

When Cristina, a native Spanish speaker, returned to Houston she joined the Past Era team as lead appraiser. Her first major project was a yearlong appraisal of hundreds of portrait miniature, memorial and hair jewelry pieces from a private collection. The collection was subsequently bequeathed to, and can currently be viewed at, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and its celebrated house museum Rienzi. With her gemological experience and vivacious personality, Cristina is a huge asset to the Past Era team and is adored by all of her clients, who find her patience and knowledge an immense help and pleasure.

MELISSA

Driven by a lifelong love of gemstones, Melissa earned her Graduate Gemologist degree in residence from the Gemological Institute of America in Carlsbad, California in 1998. She then went to work as a gemologist, appraiser and salesperson for several fine jewelry stores on the west coast and in the south.

Upon her return to Texas, Melissa joined the Past Era team where she is inspired every day by our rare and unique pieces. She is led by her abounding curiosity and loves to identify stones based on their physical and optical properties. As an experienced gemologist, Melissa’s passion is evident in the time she thoughtfully devotes to helping clients choose an item of jewelry. Her methodical and meticulous approach to appraising is of great assistance to Marion when purchasing jewelry for the shop.

LINDSAY

Lindsay is our resident art history scholar and website mastermind. She developed a love of art and antiques as a young girl and went on to graduate from the University of Texas, Austin with a BA in Art History. She then moved to London to earn a Masters degree in the History of Art and Connoisseurship from Christie’s Education. This background helps Lindsay when researching and identifying the marks on every piece and in discovering the maker, country of origin, date of production and any stories these beautiful pieces might tell our clients.

In addition to running the website and researching jewelry, she is also responsible for the careful and meticulous cleaning that every piece in our collection receives before being offered for sale. Lindsay combines her youthful exuberance and creative energy with a dedication to perfection and finely honed knowledge of culture, period and style, making her a vibrant asset to the Past Era team.

CORKY

Corky’s lifelong ‘love affair’ with beautiful jewelry combined with her management skills makes her the perfect ‘go to’ person on the Past Era team. She graduated from the University of Southwest Louisiana with a degree in Management and Merchandising. Following graduation she worked for thirty years as the manager of a commercial real estate firm and moved on to be Vice President of Operations for a luxury residential real estate firm. Corky’s wealth of corporate experience makes her an integral part of Past Era.

With her joyous attitude, wonderful sense of humor and strong organizational skills, Corky assists in the smooth and efficient running of Past Era. She oversees daily operations and manages our advertising and public relations. In addition, she coordinates all Past Era special events, trunk shows and press coverage.

HILDI

A native Houstonian, Hildi attended the University of Texas at Austin and came to us with multiple degrees, including an MA in English. She is also certified in diamond grading and coloring from the Gemological Institute of America.

With eighteen years of experience in fine jewelry, Hildi brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and endless enthusiasm to the Past Era team. As a former wardrobe consultant, she focuses her innate sense of style and taste on the client’s needs. With years of retail experience and an extensive background in communications, Hildi cultivates lasting relationships with all of her clients.

DANIEL

Daniel’s strong sense of aesthetics has been refined by his many years of collecting. With a degree in Art History and having owned his own antiques business, he brings his enthusiasm for art to Past Era. His eye for detail and experience in the fashion industry drives his desire to offer a luxury experience to every customer as he marries finely crafted antique jewelry with contemporary fashion.

A passionate collector of Georgian English antiques, Daniel embraces the Edwardian aesthetic. His love of history and fine arts is evident in his client interactions. Ultimately, Daniel's goal is to provide a personalized shopping experience to each customer by guiding their collections and finding the perfect piece of jewelry for each recipient.